NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - SOUTH DAKOTA ST. VS PROVIDENCE

March 16, 2022

Nate Watson

Justin Minaya

Jared Bynum

A.J. Reeves

KeyBank Center

Providence Friars

Media Conference

Q. This is a question for Nate. Since you're the only member of the team that's played in an NCAA tournament game, what do you remember most about playing in the tournament.

NATE WATSON: I just remember the experience of playing in the first game. It was definitely a great experience, and it's one of the biggest stages in college basketball. So you know, that's why I really remember it, but some of these guys have not been there. So as a leader, I got to tell them how it is and what to expect. You just got to give it your all. It's win or go home, so every game, you have to play your heart out, so that's what I'm going to tell these guys.

Q. I was going to ask you something about Vermont. I wasn't going to make the second question that everybody seems to ask. Maybe Nate, maybe Justin, I just want to know what your thoughts are on Vermont, what you think of them and what about them could give Arkansas trouble? Thanks.

JUSTIN MINAYA: I remember when we played Vermont earlier in the year, and they're a really good team. I remember they move really well off the ball. They're really good at cutting, and I'm pretty sure they haven't lost since we played them. So I knew early in the year we knew that they were going to be a tournament team and that they proved that. It will definitely be a really good game between them and Arkansas.

Q. For all the players, just how much are you, A, first enjoying this moment, and, you know, sharing with your families, your dads, your moms, how much is it just a great moment to share with them?

JARED BYNUM: This has been like a great moment just in basketball in general. You know, growing up, you always think about playing in the tournament. You watch the tournament as a kid or you're in school. And my dad played college basketball. He didn't get to play in the tournament, so he is really excited to see me in the tournament. He can't be here the first weekend, so hopefully we can advance to the next weekend so he can get out to some games, but my mom will be here tomorrow.

So I'm just looking forward to enjoying the moment with my teammates and my family and just really embracing the moment and enjoying the journey.

JUSTIN MINAYA: What Jared said, this is kind of what I always dreamed about as a little kid was playing in the tournament. I remember being a little kid and just wanting to watch the games during school, and you were trying to find a way to watch the games while you were in school and stuff even though you shouldn't be, but, yeah, this is all I ever dreamed about, and I think we're all really excited just to go out there and play.

NATE WATSON: It's definitely a dream come true. Friartown is definitely excited for us. I think they canceled school, and they're going to show the games in some classes, and I know all our fans will be watching the games. I'm just excited to play in front of my friends, family, and fans.

I think we have a decent amount of people coming to this game because it's not that far from Providence, so I'm just excited to go out here with my guys, and it's my last go-round, so I'm going to give it my all.

Q. For Justin, Jackrabbits are second in the country in scoring. I'm curious what you think, what you have seen that makes them so explosive, and specifically Baylor Scheierman.

JUSTIN MINAYA: Obviously, I've heard about Baylor Scheierman, and he is a very good player. I know they're one of the highest shooting percentage teams in the country. So, yeah, we definitely have our hands full with them.

It's going to be a very good match-up I think, and we're all just really excited to get out there and go play because last time we didn't have our best game, so we want to respond from last game. That's kind of our biggest thing right now, so ...

Q. A.J., for you. You guys have thrived late in games. 11-2 in games decided by five points or less. Why do you think that can help you guys in the tournament when games are going to be close down to the wire?

A.J. REEVES: That's a great question. I feel like down the stretch, we're a poised team. We're a veteran-led group, so there's not too much we haven't seen. Yeah, just late game execution and just having faith in my guys, myself, and in the coaching staff to do what we got to do to get the W.

Q. For any of you guys, how tough was it playing in the Big East conference this year in terms of the physicality and how tough a league it was. Is it almost kind of nice to get out of it, and how well do you think the teams in the league can fair in this tournament?

A.J. REEVES: I think the Big East is probably one of the best conferences this year, top to bottom. Every game was a physical game, a great match-up every night. I think that prepared us for times like this in the NCAA tournament because now we know what physicality to expect because we played against Nova, Seton Hall, UConn, who were all tournament teams. I just think that everybody in the Big East faired well this tournament because we've all been prepared all season long.

Q. You guys are I guess have the luckiest team in America deal. Are you guys embracing it now almost to show people that it's kind of a bunch of BS or how are you guys taking this now?

NATE WATSON: We want to prove everyone wrong. A lot of people counted us out in the beginning of the year, and we proved to a lot of people that we are a good team. We won the regular season champions, and that just proves to you that Coach really instills confidence in us. Coach really has faith in us, and we have faith with each and every one of us as a program, so just want to go out here and prove everybody wrong. I don't count the Friars out. I love this team. I love coach, so, yeah.

Q. You guys all using it as motivation pretty much?

JARED BYNUM: I kind of find it a little bit funny that everybody calls us lucky and stuff like that, but we can't really control the narratives that people put on us. We just go out and do what we do and try to win games. And at the end of the game, if you win, whether you are lucky or not, you either win or you lose, and we've been winning a lot, so...

Q. Guys, first of all, is it ironic you are playing on St. Paddy's Day with the whole lucky thing maybe?

Secondly, this is for Nate and A.J. You guys are the guys that have been with the program for four or five years, so how much is this moment being in the NCAA tournament a chance to play in a big stage, the culmination of your time and all the work you've put in with the program?

A.J. REEVES: I think that this is kind of one of the better -- probably the best way to end our careers here. We've had a lot of up and downs these past four years being rated at the top of the league and then being picked at the bottom of the league and everything in between.

And I feel like this year, we really just wanted to come out and show everybody what we could do. We believed in each other from the get. I feel like we have a special group that we can make a big run in the NCAA tournament. I'm ready for it. I'm ready for it. I know we're ready for it. Everybody is ready for it, so we just have got to go do it.

Q. Congratulations on your success. Can you speak on some of those things that you guys worked on to turn this program around from a 13-13 program in 2020 to a 25-5 program this year?

A.J. REEVES: Chemistry, team chemistry, bonding. I feel like this team really had one goal, and that was to be the best that we could be. We set minor goals throughout the season, win the Big East Conference championship, try to win the Big East tournament championship, make it to the NCAA tournament.

We just kept marking those off as we went, and I feel like this is a big redemption team right here. We have a lot of guys who everybody kind of looked down on, who everybody was, like, oh, he is not that good, they can't do this, he can't do this. For us to have the season we're having, I think we're just kind of shutting up a lot of people, but still we get a lot of disrespect.

We're a 25-5 team, and people look at us like we're bad. You know what I'm saying? That 13-13 team again. And that lucky comes back into play because people can't fathom what we did this year, so it's got to be luck, but it's hard work, dedication, skill, all of that combined, and to wanting to be who we are, be who you are. I feel like we are being who we are, and we've shown everybody that.

Q. Nate, is it nothing new that a lot of people are picking South Dakota State, a trendy upset pick? Do you guys use that as motivation to fuel and something you haven't heard before?

NATE WATSON: It's nothing new. This year we've been sacrificing our bodies. I think every game I've been sore, so it just shows you how much work we really put in, and it just sucks that people don't really think we're that good, but I think we're good. 25-5, that's pretty good to me. That's one of the best records in the country.

We are obviously going to use it as motivation. We've been using it as a motivation this whole year when the preseason poll picked us up as seven. And so we took that and ran with it, and we're, like, you know, we're going to be a good team this year. We're going to finish number one, and that's what we did. We're going to look at what these people keep saying about us and just go out here and prove them wrong.

Q. Really for anyone. What has Al Durham brought to your squad this year coming in as a graduate transfer?

JARED BYNUM: Al has brought too many things to count. He has brought his leadership. He is pretty much our vet. Especially having somebody at guard position as somebody you can look to towards the end of games, beginning of the games to get us off to a good start, or if things aren't going well, he will pick us up and keep us going.

Even in games when he hasn't been out on the court dealing with injuries and stuff, he has pretty much been a coach on the bench giving us confidence, letting us know where we can be better, picking our spots on the floor.

He is the closer. That's how he has been all year, making free-throws, making big shots down in the stretch. So I can't thank Al enough and the coaching staff enough for bringing him along, especially having somebody that I can play with and that I can learn from and compete against every day in practice.